BLIZZARD WARNING
Warning Issue Date: 1142 PM CST TUE DEC 08 2009
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY...
A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST WEDNESDAY.
* SHORT TERM TRENDS: SNOW...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AT TIMES...WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH 3 AM. RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR CAN BE
EXPECTED DURING THIS TIME ACROSS AREAS NORTH OF HIGHWAY 34...BUT
THE BACK EDGE TO THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ITS WAY
NORTHEAST TO THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR EAST OF DES MOINES BY 3
AM. LIGHT SNOWFALL IS ANTICIPATED TO CONTINUE THROUGH AT LEAST 6
AM FOR MOST OF THE AREA. AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW IS
LIKELY BY 6 AM WEDNESDAY. WINDS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE
OUT OF THE NORTH TO NORTHEAST...GUSTING TO 35 TO 40 MPH AND
CREATING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AND SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW ACROSS AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 35 BY 3 AM. THESE
HIGHER WINDS WILL MIGRATE EAST ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL IOWA BY 6
AM.
* STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS: SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 18 INCHES
ARE ANTICIPATED FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL IOWA. THE BEST THREAT FOR
RECEIVING OVER A FOOT OF SNOW IS GENERALLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE
FROM DENISON TO ALGONA AND NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM BEDFORD TO
GRINNELL.
* WINDS/VISIBILITY: NORTHEAST TO NORTH WINDS AT 20 TO 30 MPH WITH
LOCAL GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 3 AM... BEFORE
SHIFTING TO THE NORTH TO NORTHWEST AND STEADILY INCREASING
THROUGH 6 AM. WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS GREATER
THAN 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED BY WEDNESDAY MORNING...CAUSING
VISIBILITY LESS THAN ONE QUARTER OF A MILE WITH WHITE OUT
CONDITIONS AT TIMES.
* IMPACTS: SIGNIFICANT TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
DANGEROUS WINTER STORM...AND TRAVEL WILL LIKELY BECOME
IMPOSSIBLE IN MANY LOCATIONS. IN ADDITION TO THE HEAVY SNOW
ACCUMULATING ON ROADWAYS...VERY STRONG NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS
WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW AND WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...LEADING TO THE
POTENTIAL FOR ROAD CLOSURES. SNOW DRIFTS OF 8 TO 15 FEET ARE
POSSIBLE BY WEDNESDAY. THE POTENTIAL FOR POWER OUTAGES EXIST AS
WELL WITH THE VERY STRONG WINDS. WIND CHILL READINGS ON
WEDNESDAY WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 20 BELOW ZERO.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.
$$
MOYER
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